This disclosure relates generally to an audio system in an eyewear device, and specifically relates to a cartilage conduction audio system for use in eyewear devices.
Head-mounted displays in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and/or mixed reality (MR) systems often include features such as speakers or personal audio devices to provide sound to users. These speakers or personal audio devices are typically formed over the ear and cover the ear (e.g., headphones), or placed in the ear (e.g., in-ear headphones or earbuds). However, a user wearing a head-mounted display in a VR, AR, and MR system can benefit from keeping the ear canal open and not covered by an audio devices. For example, the user can have a more immersive and safer experience and receive spatial cues from ambient sound when the ear is unobstructed. It is desirable for an audio system of the eyewear device to be lightweight, ergonomic, low in power consumption, and to not produce crosstalk between the ears. Such features are challenging to incorporate in a full frequency (20 Hz to 20,000 Hz) audio reproduction system on an eyewear device while leaving the ear canal open to the acoustic scene around the user.